Chain link for a link chain and tool magazine with link chain

Abstract

A chain link includes a base area, confined by four sides, and first to third link portions respectively on first to third sides. The first and second link portions respectively receive first and second connection elements for connecting the chain link to first and second adjacent chain links, and respectively and relatively define first and second rotational axes of adjacent first and second chain links. The third link portion receives a third connection element for connecting the chain link to a tool receptacle and defines a third rotational axis of a rotary motion of the tool receptacle in relation to the chain link. The first and second axes define a first plane, the first plane is parallel to the chain link base area, and the third axis lies outside the first plane. A tool magazine for a machine tool includes a link chain from chain links for the tool transport.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A tool magazine for a machine tool, the tool magazine comprising:
 a link chain including a plurality of associated chain links for tool transport; 
 a drive configured to cause circulating movement of the link chain, each of the chain links including:
 a first side, at which a respective first link portion is located, 
 a second side, at which a respective second link portion is located, 
 a third side interconnecting the first side and the second side, a respective third link portion being located at the third side, and 
 a fourth side interconnecting the first side and the second side, 
 wherein the first link portion of one of the chain links is pivotally attached to the second link portion of a first adjacent one of the chain links to provide relative pivoting movement of the one of the chain links relative to the first adjacent one of the chain links about a respective first axis of rotation, and the second link portion of the one of the chain links is pivotally attached to the first link portion of a second adjacent one of the chain links to provide relative pivoting movement of the one of the chain links relative to the second adjacent one of the chain links about a respective second axis of rotation, 
 
 a respective tool receptacle pivotally attached to the respective third link portion of each of the chain links to provide pivoting movement of the respective tool receptacle relative to the corresponding chain link about a respective third axis of rotation, each of the respective tool receptacles having a respective tool receiving portion to receive a tool and each of the received respective tools define a respective longitudinal tool axis; and 
 a pivot device pivoting the tool receptacle of the one of the chain links in relation to the one of the chain links about the respective third axis of rotation from a transport orientation, in which the respective longitudinal tool axis is parallel to the respective first axis of rotation and the respective second axis of rotation of the one of the chain links, into an exchange orientation, in which the respective longitudinal tool axis is perpendicular to the respective first axis of rotation and the respective second axis of rotation of the one of the chain links, wherein:
 each of the chain links includes a respective first through-opening extending from the respective third side to the respective fourth side, 
 each of the tool receptacles includes a respective second through-opening, and 
 when a predetermined one of the tool receptacles is in the respective transport orientation, the respective first through-opening and the respective second through-opening of the predetermined one of the tool receptacles border on one another and form a continuous opening through the corresponding chain link and corresponding tool receptacle, and when the predetermined one of the tool receptacles is in the respective exchange orientation, the respective first through-opening and the respective second through-opening do not border one another to form the continuous opening. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the chain links is trapezoidal, and 
 for each of the chain links, the first side of each chain link is a shortest side of the trapezoid. 
 
     
     
       3. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 for each of the chain links, the second link portion consists of a respective first link portion part and a respective second link portion part, and 
 a distance between the first link portion part and the second link portion part corresponds to a size of the first link portion of each of the chain links. 
 
     
     
       4. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the chain links consists of a plastic material or metal. 
     
     
       5. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the chain links further comprises:
 a respective first rolling bearing receiving portion on the respective second link portion for receiving a respective first rolling bearing, 
 a respective second rolling bearing receiving portion for receiving a respective second rolling bearing, and 
 a respective third rolling bearing receiving portion for receiving a respective third rolling bearing, 
 
 each of the second rolling bearing receiving portions and each of the third rolling bearing receiving portions define a respective axis which is perpendicular to the base area of the corresponding chain link, and 
 each of the second rolling bearing receiving portions and each of the third rolling bearing receiving portions are formed on opposite sides of a respective base area of the corresponding chain link. 
 
     
     
       6. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation of the one of the chain links are coplanar. 
     
     
       7. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein the chain links define a transport plane. 
     
     
       8. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein as the link chain circulates, the chain links travel along a path having a plurality of curves. 
     
     
       9. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein link chain is supported by a rolling bearing. 
     
     
       10. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , each of the tool receptacles has a respective rolling bearing receiving portion to receive a respective rolling bearing. 
     
     
       11. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , each of the respective tool receptacles has a locking portion to lock and unlock the corresponding tool. 
     
     
       12. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a stop portion to orientate a predetermined one of the tool receptacles in the exchange orientation. 
     
     
       13. The tool magazine according to  claim 12 , wherein the stop portion has a connection to connect an additional opening of a predetermined one of the tool receptacles and a cleaning device to clean the predetermined one of the tool receptacles, and the additional opening of the predetermined one of the tool receptacles is in contact in the exchange orientation with the stop portion. 
     
     
       14. The tool magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chain links each further comprise a respective base area which is confined by the four sides, 
 for each of the chain links, the respective first axis of rotation and the respective second axis of rotation define a respective first plane, the respective first plane being parallel to the respective base area of the respective chain link, 
 the respective third axis of rotation is located outside the respective first plane, and 
 when the respective tool receptacle is in the transport orientation, the respective longitudinal tool axis is located in the respective first plane of the respective first chain link. 
 
     
     
       15. The tool magazine according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 each of the tool receptacles has a respective engagement portion to engage the pivot device, and 
 each of the engagement portions are formed as a respective longitudinal element, a respective longitudinal axis of the respective longitudinal element is parallel to the corresponding third axis of rotation of the corresponding chain link. 
 
     
     
       16. The machine tool comprising:
 the tool magazine according to  claim 1 , and 
 a cleaning device to clean a predetermined one of the tool receptacles.